As is known, there exists considerable variation in the needs of computer users. A “one size fits all” approach to providing computing resources, such as processor type, number of processors, memory, input/output (I/O) etc., is therefore impractical. To meet the various needs of users, therefore, providers of computing resources should have the ability to tailor the resources and capabilities of a particular system to the needs of a particular user.
As is also known, providers of computing systems and services operate in a highly competitive industry. In order to simultaneously maintain competitive pricing and adequate profit margins, computing providers must control costs. In particular, it is highly desirable for providers of computing systems to reduce the costs associated with manufacturing and inventory management of a proliferation of computing system models and configurations. Cost reductions may be achieved, therefore, by reducing the number of computing system models and configurations produced, inventoried, and sold.
While the above objectives appear contradictory, methods have been developed to simultaneously reduce manufacturing and inventory complexity while tailoring computing system resources to the needs of specific users. For example the following patents, each of which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describe various aspects by which a computing system may be constructed with installed resources that are initially dormant: U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,587 to J. E. Campbell et al., entitled “Self Modifying Access Code for Altering Capabilities”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,749 to R. J. Easter et al., entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Secure Hardware Configuration”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,753 to R. J. Easter et al., entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Secure Hardware Configuration”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,144 to F. A. Almquist et al., entitled “Method and System for Selectively Altering Data Processing System Functional Characteristics Without Mechanical Manipulation”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,281 to J. E. Campbell et al., entitled “Self Modifying Access Code for Altering Capabilities.” As taught in the referenced patents, initially dormant computing resources may be activated or enabled as needed, thereby allowing a system provider to manufacture a reduced number of system models, each of which may be easily configured in a variety of ways simply by enabling various combinations of the initially dormant resources.
Computer systems having dormant resources may provide advantages to computer users as well. Such systems may be delivered to a customer location containing a set of installed hardware resources, only some of which are enabled. The remaining dormant resources may be enabled at a future date, at the customer location and without installing additional hardware resources. Such an arrangement provides a simplified path for the user to upgrade system resources.
While advances have been made in the underlying technologies enabling the activation of dormant computing resources, the technologies and methods used to deliver these capabilities to computer users have not kept pace. While the needs of computer users may change in rapid and unpredictable ways, the technologies and methods used to deliver system upgrades reflect an environment where system upgrades required the installation of physical hardware resources. These delivery technologies and methods do not, therefore, fully exploit the capabilities of the underlying technologies used to enable dormant resources.
For the foregoing reasons, therefore, there is a need in the art for an on demand method of enabling dormant computing resources that is responsive, flexible, and which leverages the capabilities of existing computer upgrade technologies.